A Soft Landing
by fluffystwin
Summary: Sabriel. Destiel. Set after Swan Song and turns AU. The Winchesters kinda screwed up the whole fix the apocalypse thing as they let Sam and Adam get thrown into the Pit and Dean collapses in on himself. So, who's turn is it now to fix the mess left behind?


This is posted on tumblr as well. Enjoy guys.

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"Oi." A shoe poked him in the ribs. "Wake up. Yer not dead ya idiot. Though you're probably going to wish you were."

"Oh, I just wanted to come back to life and hear your voice."

"I just brought your short happy ass back so be happy. You owe me and now I'm collecting."

Gabriel opened his eyes and looked up at the blonde haired woman. The blue eyes stared back at him with a determination that he hadn't seen in a few thousand years. Well, he hadn't seen her period in a few thousand years. She held her hand out and he reached up to take it, pulling himself upright and back onto his feet. He glanced down and saw the hole in his once nice shirt. That was gonna be a sore point for the rest of his lifespan. He sighed before looking back up at her. There was a reason for bringing him back because she didn't do stupid things like this without a very good reason.

"So, what do I have to do now?"

"WE have to go to the Pit and rescue your little toy and his dimwit half-brother."

"We have to do what now? Metatron, I know you're nuts but this just goes beyond suicidal."

Metatron sighed and folded her arms across her chest. "Not for you."

"Meta—"

"Shut up. At least I'm cleaning up this damned mess our family has caused."

Gabriel's jaw snapped shut when he saw that determination in her eyes. No matter what vessel or form she took. Her eyes gave away everything. She was determined to fix this and he could see that there was no way to stop her. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to refrain from saying anything. It wasn't like he could just stomp his foot and tell her no. He'd rather like to keep his vessel at the moment. He opened his eyes to see her holding out her hand, palm up, just waiting for him to come back to reality. He hesitantly reached out and took it. The sudden tug on his arm brought back memories of the times where they never had to clean up their brothers' messes. A time when they could have done their job and laughed as events rolled by them without sweeping them up in the madness. A time when he had never met the Winchesters and seen those brown eyes begging him for help.

Gabriel watched as his surroundings changed and twisted into something he never thought he'd see. It looked like a simple room. No doors. No windows. But he knew that's just how she was manipulating it to appear. The true sight of the room made his stomach twist in knots. Her hand tightened around his and he squeezed back, even though he knew this was suicidal he would always be right beside her.

"Well, if it isn't our lovely sister Metatron." Lucifer smiled and held his arms out. "Come give brother a hug."

Metatron glared at him and released Gabriel's hand. Before she could take a step forward everyone stilled. The beating of wings alerted them all to another presence. A man stepped out from the white wall and placed his hands behind his back.

"Well, well, looks like the gangs all here! Are we gonna have a Doctor Phil moment?" Lucifer asked with a small smile on his face.

Gabriel grimaced at the sight of Sam's face twisting into a sadistic smirk. That was not what Sam's face was supposed to look like. He watched as Metatron straightened her back and stood to her full height. He knew what that stance was. It was the 'You just pissed me off' stance.

"Lucifer, I don't think now is the time for jokes," Raphael commented with his usual calm. Gabriel glared at the man and snapped his fingers; duct tape appeared over Raphael's mouth.

Metatron took one step towards her two brothers residing within the two Winchesters and took a deep breath before bringing her arms out. "Boys, I hope you can hear me. This is gonna hurt." She brought her hands together, but no sound reverberated out. All that happened was Sam and Adam falling to the ground unconscious. Gabriel whirled around to see Lucifer and Michael standing in front of them in what appeared to be their previous vessels. He looked back to Metatron to see her motion to Sam and Adam and Gabriel went straight over to them. Raphael glared at him, but he ignored the look. His job was to make sure Sam and Adam were okay. And hopefully still breathing.

"So, little Meta does know a few tricks."

"Can it Lucifer." Gabriel's eyes widened as Metatron's wings unfurled behind her back. All six wings curling out to rigidly stand out from her back. It was a display of dominance. Lucifer smirked and the image of his wings appeared behind him. Michael rolled his eyes at the two displays, but didn't make a move. A clash of the titans was not on the agenda for today. "Gabriel." Said archangel looked up at Metatron. The rust coloured wings drooped slightly to allow her to look over her shoulder at him. His gaze followed the black tipped primary feathers grazed the ground. "Get them out of here." He just nodded and vanished without another word.

Metatron stood her ground as Raphael ripped the tape off his mouth, his wings puffing up behind him. The black and white feathers didn't pose an intimidating sight. Michael's on the other hand were a steady black color with it dipping to grey at the tips. Lucifer's were simply ridiculous and reminded all of the time when he had changed them just to annoy them all. Now he simply kept them that fluorescent pink colour that they all hated. Michael took another step forward and Metatron held her head up high.

"Looks like you're on your own."

Metatron narrowed her eyes as she stood her ground against him. "And looks like you're trapped in a cage for all eternity."

Lucifer laughed and grinned. "At least we have an interesting play thing."

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Gabriel hefted the two heavy weights as best as he could through the gravel junk yard. He couldn't carry both the men. He collapsed to the ground breathing heavily. Having just rescued both of them from Hell even with the help of his sister drained him. He pushed himself up onto his knees and looked in the direction of the only light.

"Dean!" he called out hoping the grumpy man would be there with the even grumpier man. He turned back to look at the two unconscious men. There wasn't much that he could do for them at the moment besides be there. They had to wake up by themselves because he didn't know how much damage his brothers had done in that short amount of time. Gabriel stiffened when he heard gravel crunching beneath heavy boots and the cocking of a shotgun.

"What the hell—"

"Sam!" Gabriel moved aside to allow Dean to collapse next to his brother and quickly try and assess everything. Dean was treating Sam like he was the most precious thing in the world. Gabriel missed that brotherly bond, he truly did. "What happened?"

Gabriel looked up at Dean when he realized he was being addressed. "I'm still not quite sure. One moment I was dead and then the next Metatron was standing there telling me that she had to fix our family's mess. We dropped down to the Cage and sprung your brothers loose…she's still down there."

The muscles in Dean's jaw twitched as he clenched his jaw. "We'll talk more later just help me get them into the house. Bobby! Come help me with Sam!"

Gabriel went back over to Adam's prone body and adjusted the man to where he could carry him without too much of a problem. It took them about fifteen minutes to get the two unconscious men into the house, get them comfortable, and then make sure everything was all okay. By that time Gabriel was about ready to pass out in a chair. Normally angels didn't sleep, but he expended so much energy and grace trying to rescue them that it left him exhausted. Dean sat down beside him at the kitchen table. His green eyes flickering to his two brothers before turning back to Gabriel with an intensity he recognized. Bobby sat down on the other side of him and Gabriel knew that he wouldn't be getting any rest soon. It took Dean a moment, but he did finally manage to speak and it wasn't what Gabriel had been expecting.

"Thank you."

Gabriel sat there momentarily stunned as he watched Dean's head drop forward. The green eyes downcast and focused on the table. He really hadn't been expecting that kind of response from him. "I didn't do it alone. I would never have been able to do it alone."

Dean nodded and ran a hand through his short cropped hair. "You said Metatron?"

"The fifth archangel?" Bobby asked in his typical gruff voice. Though Gabriel could hear the hint of relief behind it.

"Yea, she said she was there to fix the family's mess. She's been doing that since we were all created. By now she probably just assumes that it is her job."

"Why would she do this? Not that I'm not grateful," Dean hastily added the second part.

Gabriel dropped his gaze to stare down at his hands, fingers wringing against each other. "I don't know. I don't even know if she will make it out in one piece. If she does her vessel won't."

"What do you mean alive?"

"She stayed there allowing me to get your brothers out. Our four other brothers were there when I left. She may be the most powerful, but she can't take on all four of them at once."

"So, she's not gonna make it out?"

Gabriel shook his head. "I doubt it."

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It took another hour and a half for Dean to be satisfied with everything Gabriel had said before allowing the angel to get some sleep on the couch. Which only lasted for a few hours before he was woken up by rustling coming from the study. He knew one of the boys was awake. He lay still as whoever it was stood up, springs from the old couch in there creaking as the weight eased off it. Soft footfalls made its way through the study and into the kitchen before heading his way. He continued to breathe softly while listening to every move. The sudden intake of breath made him open his eyes. Sam stood in the doorway to the kitchen simply staring at him with wide eyes. Gabriel gave a small smile in relief, happy to see that the man was okay.

"Hey moose."

"Gabe?"

"In the flesh."

"But how?"

"How about you worry about that in the morning? You need some rest."

Sam didn't say anything against that and simply turned back before deciding against it and heading up the stairs presumably to check on his brother. Gabriel let his head drop back on to the flat pillow. He sighed and put his hands behind his head and rolling over to stare up at the ceiling. He knew that niggling feeling in the back of his head and he didn't want to deal with it right now. He just wanted to focus on the fact that Sam was out of the Cage and not being tortured by his brother. The little smile that wormed its way on to his face vanished as it hit him again that his sister had taken their place.

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"Earthquakes in Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Chicago, and the surrounding areas in the Midwest were recording as being a 9.8. These records are spectacular and the death toll is reaching a high that has never been seen before. Earthquakes in this region are not common and considering the main ones were in some small town in Indiana and seemed to radiate outwards only made things more intriguing. The area around the small town suddenly had crops dying and livestock attacking each other. It seems that in a 500 mile radius around the town everything has gone crazy. Speaking of crazy, there was a tsunami that hit the coast of Brazil and an out of season hurricane that swept up the East and another on the West coast. What is going on with the weather Max?"  
Bobby turned off the TV as everyone turned to stare at the lone angel in their midst. Before Gabriel could open his mouth Castiel appeared with the sound of wings flapping in the distance. Castiel made to speak before he caught sight of his elder brother standing off to the side. The tension in the room skyrocketed with just one look. Dean stood up and stepped forward towards Castiel. He gripped the lapels of the man's jacket. He pulled him aside and Gabriel watched as Dean whispered hurriedly to the angel to try and defuse the situation. Gabriel glanced over at Sam and caught the brown gaze. It showed that Sam was nervous about everything going on. It was unusual for him. Gabriel's eyes widened as he realized they hadn't gotten to Sam quick enough. Lucifer and Michael had still tortured him in that short amount of time. Sam gave a subtle shake of his head and Gabriel backed down for the moment as Dean walked back into the room. Castiel stood closet to his side, body turned towards the older hunter.

"Those seem like omens Gabriel."

"That's what I came here for," Castiel chimed in. "Those are the signs of the archangel Metatron's arrival."

Gabriel ran a hand through his hair, spiking it. "I don't understand how she got out."

"I don't understand how she got in," Castiel practically seethed as he stared at Gabriel.

Gabriel stood up and the energy in the room shifted. Castiel actually took a step back as Gabriel stood up straight with his head up high. "Don't you ever question her. She has done far too much for our family and has asked for nothing in return. She has stood by and watched as we tore each other apart in some ridiculous feud. Now, she took all her power and stepped in and rescued their asses," an angry finger was pointed in the direction of Sam and Adam. "She sacrificed millennia of knowledge and power that could crumple this world just to save them. If she got out then she was either stronger than we thought or Dad won't let his favorite die."

Castiel finally took a step forward again, his back rigidly straight. Gabriel watched as he could see his younger brother's wings start puffing up. He knew his brother was posturing and that he was upset with him, but they had bigger things to worry about.

"We have to find her."

Everyone turned to look at Adam. That was not something they were expecting. The whole day was just throwing them off. Sam sat down across from his brother at the table and just gave Adam a look. Gabriel recognized that look. It was one that Metatron had always given him, the look that prompted him to continue talking. Gabriel stood down and resumed a neutral stance against the wall. Adam fiddled with the edge of the table as everyone continued to stare at him.

"We can't just leave her alone. She helped save our asses and we owe her this at least."

Sam nodded in agreement. "He's right. Can you track her?"

Castiel and Gabriel shared a glance, the knowledge of what could have happened to her passing between them. It would be difficult to track her down, but if they could just find the city where she was first it'd be easier. Dean marched over to the laptop at the kitchen table and before he could sit down Sam slid it away from him and began to tak away on the keys. Bobby sighed and set his beer down.

"I take it we are going on a trip?"

"Oh yea."

"Gabriel, can I talk to you for a moment?" Castiel asked. Gabriel nodded and Cas gripped Gabriel's upper arm before the two of them vanished.

Gabriel looked around the junkyard and before leaning back against a rusted out Chevy. Castiel stood there not far from him with a look of concentration on his face. He cocked his head to the side. Gabriel recognized that look. It was the one that he used when he was trying to piece together a puzzle where the pieces were mixed in with pieces from different puzzles.

"What Castiel?" he was getting annoyed with these little games. Why couldn't any angels get to the point?

"Metatron brought you back, and then went to the Cage with you, but how did you get out?"

Gabriel closed his eyes. It was something he didn't want to admit, but he hadn't been strong enough to flee the Cage with both Sam and Adam. When he had been trying to leave he had felt Metatron's grace wrap around all three of them. He knew what that had done to her and her vessel. "Metatron did something fucking stupid."

Castiel just stood there stock still for a moment. He seemed to be thinking something over. "She's falling isn't she?"

Gabriel nodded. "If she had just reentered the world she would have decimated the Midwest, worse than it is now. We need to find her soon."

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Sam stuffed his hands in his pocket as he followed Gabriel around in the small town of Shelbyville. They had broken off into three groups: him and Gabriel, Dean and Castiel, and Adam and Bobby. Gabriel hadn't really said a word to him since they left to split up. It was beginning to bother him. He wanted answers and no one was giving him any. Dean was just happy to have him back and he understood that, but he wanted to know why the final Archangel had returned to Earth just to bring him and Adam back from the Pit. Gabriel was walking next to him with his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jacket as his gaze darted all over the place. Things had shifted in him and Sam could see it.

"It's not nice to stare Moose."

Sam snapped out of his thoughts when he realized that Gabriel had addressed him. "Well it's not like you're talking to me."

Gabriel stopped in his tracks and looked up at the taller man. "What exactly do you want me to say?"

"Maybe an explanation for all of this!"

"You didn't want to be saved?"

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean Sam? Cause if you miss Lucifer that bad I'll gladly take you back."

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Sam yelled at him.

There were on the sidewalk, in the middle of the busy downtown area arguing over things that were making other people uncomfortable. They were getting stares from the locals, but Sam honestly didn't care. It was more important to him to figure out what the hell was wrong with Gabriel. The sarcastic ass angel was always there with some witty remark of antagonistic quip, but now nothing came from him besides sorrow.

"My sister sacrificed everything for you and she didn't even know you!"

Sam stiffened when he suddenly realized what was bothering Gabriel. It hit him like a ton of bricks really. Gabriel's flushed face and clenched fists made it easier to understand. He was upset.

"It's because you couldn't do it." Gabriel spun around on his heel and walked away from him. Sam jogged after the shorter man and grabbed his elbow, pulling him back around to face Sam. "You're pissed because you weren't the one to rescue me."

"I am your angel! I'm supposed to protect you! Castiel can raise your brother's ass from Hell, but I can't even raise you from the Cage!" Gabriel yelled at him the fury evident. In the distance Sam heard lightning crack and thunder rumble. Gabriel's anger was bringing about a storm that rivaled his emotional state. "I am an archangel and a seraph was able to do what I was not."

"Gabriel, the Cage was different—"

Gabriel held up a hand. "Just don't."

Sam watched as Gabriel yanked his arm away from him and stormed down the street. He followed a few paces behind.

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Dean stood next to Castiel as the angel looked around the park they were in. They had decided to check areas where someone could go and sit and watch humanity. It had been Cas' decision and Dean had reluctantly agreed. He understood that archangels were different that that this one might be more like Cas. Said angel was watching a young mother push a toddler in a swing gently, making faces at the boy to make him laugh and raise his arms in the air.

"I think it'd be better if we looked for a place where there aren't any children," he said suddenly.

Dean was shocked at that statement. "Why? This is a perfect place. You could sit and watch the families for hours and contemplate every movement they make."

"Metatron has wanted a nephilim for many years and Father refuses to grant her one. Seeing a mother with a child would be painful for her and only serve to remind her of her unfulfilled wish."

Dean winced and nodded. "Yea, there's some areas over there where it's more the older generation. Plus, I noticed a river not too far."

Castiel didn't say anything and took the lead again. Dean's eyes were once again focused on the mother and child. The mother kissed the child gently on the nose sending the kid into a fit of giggles. He turned away from the sight to follow after Castiel's tan trench coat. His thoughts were on the missing archangel and what Castiel had just said. How could God stand by when one of his most devout children wanted a child of her own? It didn't make sense to him, but then again, none of the angel crap really made any sense. He caught Castiel's blue gaze as he glanced over his shoulder at Dean.

"Did you ever want a child?"

Dean didn't know where that came from, but now he couldn't retract it.

Castiel cocked his head to the side and stopped in his tracks. "I have thought about it, but with all that had been going on I thought it inappropriate." Dean chuckled and patted Cas' arm, typical Cas move. Castiel watched him as he walked past, taking the lead for once. "Have you ever thought about it Dean?"

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Bobby stood across the street from the mom and pop restaurant called Chapparell's with Adam right next to him. They were staring through the glass window to see the lone two people inside at a table. Bobby recognized one man from the description Dean had given him, but the woman wasn't one either of them recognized. This was not exactly what they were expecting. There were no omens in the area besides from Metatron's arrival. None relating to her guest across from her. It was strange and Bobby couldn't help, but feel a bit uneasy about it all. Adam next to him though seemed to have already formulated a plan as he jogged across the four lane street. Bobby cursed and took off after the young boy. Before he could stop Adam he was inside the café, the bell above the door jingling in warning.

Death looked up from his boy and nodded in greeting. "Hello, Adam, Bobby, please, have a seat."

The woman at the table looked up from her plate as brown hair fell in front of her slightly darker brown eyes.

"I believe you've already met Metatron, Adam."

The woman at the table definitely did not look like the one who had rescued him, but the look behind her eyes was the same. Her brown hair fell in a soft wave down her back. Her body was obscured by a black motorcycle jacket that had an angel wing on each sleeve. Fitting. She sat up straighter and Adam heard the tinkling of dog tags as they bumped together. She gave him a soft smile, but it didn't reach all the way up.

"I'm glad to see you're okay Adam."

Death motioned to the two empty chairs. "Sit."

Bobby and Adam exchanged a look before following the man's order and sat down. Adam had taken the seat next to Metatron, intending to ask her questions, but Bobby gave a subtle shake of his head. It was best they waited until Death was gone. Death set his fork down and Metatron placed his plate on top of a pile they had in the middle of the table. He set his forearms on the table and barely spared a glance at the two humans, his attention was focused solely on Metatron.

"I have repaid my debt to you so, please, do not come calling again," Death said to her.

Metatron's jaw tensed and the muscles in her cheeks twitched. "I don't intend to."

Death nodded and simply stood up without another word, sweeping out of the café without so much as a goodbye. Bobby watched as Death disappeared around the corner and vanished from their view. He turned back in his seat to gaze at the woman that was staring at her folded hands. He caught Adam staring at the woman and he stood up from the table to call Sam and Dean.

Adam turned his body to face Metatron and her new vessel. He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped when he caught sight of what was in her balled up fist. A beautiful rust colored feather. Larger than average and looked undeniably soft. Her hand gently fell open, the feather hovering for a moment before turning to ask and floating away into nothingness. He didn't know what to say as he then caught a glimpse of something he knew he shouldn't be seeing, but he didn't know if that was what it actually was or not. Everything was confusing anymore.

"Are you alright Adam? I mean your mind?" she addressed to him.

Adam nodded. "Yeah. I mean, I think so."

Metatron gave him another soft smile and looked out the front windows of the café as lightning streaked across the sky again. "It seems my brother is not in a good mood."

"He'll be here shortly," Bobby said as he came back over to sit with them at the table.

Metatron nodded and the muscles in her cheek twitched as she moved her jaw. "You shouldn't have come looking for me."

Adam sat up straighter at that comment. "Why the hell not?"

Metatron took a deep breath, but didn't say anything as the bell above the door jingled alerting everyone to someone coming in.

"Meta," was all that was said before there was a 5'6" archangel wrapping the woman in a tight hug. The hug was returned with probably more strength than was normal as they all heard Gabriel's back pop. Gabriel slid to the floor on his knees next to Meta, his hands covering her forearms. He pushed the jacket sleeve up her right forearm and glanced at the black tattoo design on the inside of her wrist. "So, this is your vessel?"

Metatron nodded. "Yea, it took me a bit to find one strong enough to contain me, but this one, Kyla, is more than strong enough."

Bobby's eyes narrowed at the black work on her wrist. "What the hell does that exactly mean?"

"It means that I have bound myself to this vessel and that if I ever leave it this vessel will be protected from Heaven."

Castiel stepped through the doorway followed by Dean and Sam. Metatron smiled brightly at the sight of the other angel and she jumped out of her seat before launching herself at the taller man. Castiel quickly caught her as she practically wrapped herself around the man. Gabriel's face finally broke into a semblance of a smile as he watched Metatron lean back and ruffle Cas' already mussed hair. Castiel eventually let her go and she nodded to the Winchesters before turning back to Gabriel.

"How about we go somewhere where no one can hear us?"

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Sam leaned against the kitchen counter of the two story house they were in at the moment. It wasn't what he was expecting in terms of what an archangel would have, but she stated when they arrived that it belonged to her vessel, Kyla. Dean emerged from the refrigerator holding aloft two beers. Sam took the second one as he looked over his shoulder to see out the window. Gabriel was sitting on the porch swing with Metatron next to him while Castiel leaned against one of the wooden posts with his arms crossed. They were talking in Enochian so no one was able to quite catch what was being said. Adam walked into the kitchen and Dean handed him his untouched beer before diving back into the fridge for another. Sam and Adam shared a look together, this wasn't exactly what they had thought was going to happen to them.

"I don't think anyone knew this was going to happen."

Sam looked over to see Gabriel leaning against the wall, staring intently at Sam. It unnerved him. It was like Gabriel was trying to piece together a puzzle that just didn't want to fit together. Gabriel pushed off the wall and stalked towards Sam, stopping just a few inches from him. He didn't know what to think when Gabriel just kind of glared up at him. He glanced at Dean, who was staring at Gabriel like he had grown a second head.

"I don't understand this."

Adam scoffed from behind Gabriel. "Who does?"

"I don't understand why she would sacrifice everything for us."

Dean shrugged. "Why do siblings help out each other?"

"She helped me, but she had no reason to help you guys."

"Gabriel."

Gabriel stopped his rant and Sam watched as the fiery look in his eyes was replaced with something akin to sadness, but it was quickly squashed. The shorter archangel took a step away from Sam and looked at the woman in the doorway. Sam figured she'd be intimidating like she had been in the Cage. In a way she was, but she looked like a battle-weary woman. Sam's gaze went back to Gabriel and his jaw almost dropped as it looked like Gabriel was about to cry. The next second the archangel vanished with a flutter of wings. Metatron sighed from the doorway and shoved Dean out from the front of fridge.

"He's more than likely on the roof Sam. He doesn't want to talk to me right now." Metatron looked around Dean. "Well shoo."

Sam set his beer down and scrambled out of the kitchen at her insistent tone. He slipped out onto the wooden floor and heard it creak under his shoe. He caught sight of Bobby in the living room with a laptop in front of him and a cell phone attached to his ear. Bobby doesn't notice him as he jogs up the steps two at a time. He reaches the second floor landing and feels the breeze from an open door. He peeks inside the room. He smiled when he caught sight of the large bookcases against one wall. Whoever had this room was apparently a big reader. The curtains fluttered against the wall and he caught a glimpse of the soft golden brown hair out on the roof top. Sam walked over to the window and peeked his head out. Gabriel was leaning against the wall of the building with his legs stretched out and crossed in front of him. Sam sighed and tried to squeeze his way through the window. It took him a bit and some fumbling, but he managed to get his large frame through the small opening. He ran a hand through his hair to fix it before sitting next to Gabriel as he watched the sun set in the distance.

"She's weak and yet she still managed to send you scurrying up here like a frightened child."

Sam turned to look at Gabriel, but the archangel refused to look at him. "She's safe."

Gabriel brought his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. His head dropped to hide behind his knees. Sam knew what was going through Gabriel's head as he heard the sobs start in the archangel. It was so out of character for what he had thought the man was, but now it all came crashing down. Gabriel was just a man who loved his family. He was a man torn up by anything happening to them and hid it all behind the Trickster façade. Sam reached out and wrapped an arm around Gabriel's shoulders trying to offer some kind of comfort. He was rewarded with Gabriel leaning into his touch.

Sam stayed out on the roof with Gabriel till after the sun set and after he heard the people in the house start to get rowdier. Gabriel reached up and wiped his cheeks with the sleeve on his shirt and smiled when he heard Metatron yelling in the background. Sam laughed when he heard Dean yelling back and some smashing ensued.

"I'm assuming your brother hit on her."

Sam laughed even harder and shook his head. "Oh yea."

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "He touches her and he's dead."

Sam smirked. "Not like you haven't found a way to kill him before."

Gabriel's smile softened and he looked back out to the sky. "I am sorry for all that I've done."

"You helped us. We're good."

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Gabriel stood in the doorway to the bedroom Metatron was using to sleep in. It had frightened the humans when she had fallen asleep on the couch earlier, but Castiel had quickly explained that she was just running on empty and needed her sleep. He didn't move as he felt Castiel walk up behind him silently.

"They are all asleep."

Gabriel nodded and crossed his arms as his sister's new vessel's chest rose and fell with each breath. "Does something feel off to you?"

Castiel cocked his head to the side as he watched the archangel in the bed. "I think things are very confusing as for right now. Things have happened that we do not comprehend and I am assuming that things will begin to change once again. Though…"

Gabriel's brows furrowed as he turned to look at the younger angel. "What?"

"I would like for Dean to have a break from all of this. They all deserve—"

Gabriel snickered at him. "It's called a vacation Cassie. They need a vacation."

Castiel narrowed his eyes and nodded his head in agreement. "Yes, they do."

Gabriel patted Castiel's shoulder. "Well, let's go see if any of my old safe houses are still standing and we will take them there for a vacation. Alright?"

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Adam creeped down the stairs as best he could without making a lot of noise. He knew Sam and Dean had sharp senses, but he didn't want them to find him. Bobby was out like a light after having drunk his way through Metatron's collection. He wasn't able to sleep and all he wanted to do was go out and sit on the swing on the back porch and stare at the stars. Now that he was free from the Cage, little things like staring at the stars he was going to enjoy. He jumped the last step of the stairs to avoid the creak and padded down the hallway barefoot. His eyes widened when he noticed the kitchen door was open. He gently pushed open the screen door and looked around. On the swing was Metatron. She sat with her legs pulled up underneath her with her eyes looking up towards the sky. Her expression was vacant as if she wasn't really looking at the sky. The screen door slipped from his fingers and banged against the door frame. Metatron's attention snapped to him, but her expression melted when she realized who it was.

"What are you doing up?"

Adam smiled. "I could ask you the same thing."

Metatron patted the spot next to her and Adam walked over and sat down. His movement rocking the swing back and forth slightly. She turned back to the sky and was quiet for a moment. "Do you remember what Heaven looked like?"

Adam cringed. That wasn't exactly his greatest moment. "Yea."

The corner of her mouth twitched upwards. "I don't mean your personal Heaven. I mean Heaven as a whole. The moment you walked through the Gates."

Adam shook his head. "I don't remember. I hardly remember my Heaven, but I do know that it was lonely and not at all what I imagined."

Metatron finally looked away from the sky to stare at him. Something about her brown eyes was throwing him off. They shouldn't be that intense.

"Humans are generally supposed to share their heaven with their soul mate. All humans have one, but sometimes they just don't find them. It makes their heaven rather unpleasant, but they can be reborn if they want. It gives them the chance to find that one." Metatron gave a soft laugh at that. "My vessel, Kyla, is saying that it is all a bunch of…cods-wallop. Modern slang is interesting."

Adam's eyes widened. "She's still in there?" he asked. He remembered his time as Michael's puppet and it hadn't been a pleasant experience for him.

"Unlike my brothers, Adam, I do care for my vessel's soul. Kyla is very pleased with her situation at the moment. She says not to worry and that she has all her affairs in order." Metatron smiled softly and closed her eyes. "She says that unlike you she willingly agreed and wasn't coerced."

Adam stilled. He still remembered the moment when the yes had basically been pried from his lips. He had to wonder if Michael truly cared about who he used as a vessel.

"My brother is not as caring as I'd like him to be, but do not blame it all on him. I should have been there to stop him." Metatron reached out and grabbed Adam's hand, squeezing gently. "I'm sorry."

0000000000000000000000000000 0

Sam woke to the sounds of Gabriel freaking out and tearing down the stairs. He tumbled out of bed, a gun in hand, as he followed after the archangel. He heard Dean stumbling after him, but the two brothers stopped in the kitchen when they caught sight of Castiel standing in the kitchen while watching Gabriel with a small smile tugging at the edge of his mouth. Sam slipped the gun in the back of his jeans and he walked past the seraph to gaze out the backdoor. On the porch swing was Adam and Metatron. Adam was leaned against the corner of the swing with his legs stretched out on the wooden bench. Metatron was sprawled in between his legs with her head resting on his chest. Gabriel stood leaning against the railing. The archangel snapped his fingers and a blanket appeared over the sleeping duo. He slipped past Sam and the hunter followed behind, closing the door as gently as he could. Dean rolled his eyes and grumbled something about going back to bed. Castiel glanced at Sam and Gabriel before vanishing with a flutter of wings.

"Gabriel, they'll be fine."

Gabriel jumped at suddenly being addressed. He sighed and let his shoulders slump. "I know, but I'm still going to worry."

Sam nodded and placed a hand on the shorter man's shoulder. "That's never going to change."

Gabriel smiled. "That I know. Come on Sammy; let's go get some food for everyone."

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Dean walked out into the garage beside the house and his eyes widened. There bent over the front of a Dodge Challenger was Metatron. Her ass wiggled as she reached down next to the engine block with a socket wrench. Dean smirked as he watched the muscles in her ass tense as she stood up on her tip toes to lean farther underneath the hood. The jeans stretched across her thighs and ass. Dean was enjoying the view when Metatron spoke up.

"Stare all you want, but you aren't getting any boy."

Dean sputtered as Metatron pulled herself out from underneath the hood and gave him a subtle glare before turning her back on him and heading to the tool box.

"What do you want Winchester?"

Dean paused as he thought about that. He didn't really know. He just kind of came out here. This was the woman that dragged his brother's Sasquatch ass out of Hell for no reason besides she felt that they didn't deserve that. Then she rescued Adam. The brother that him and Sam would finally be able to know. It amazed him really to see that someone was willing to do that without wanting anything from them.

"Why did you do it?"

Metatron turned her head to look over her shoulder. "Why do you love Castiel?"

Dean's jaw dropped open and he watched as Metatron chuckled to herself.

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Gabriel and Sam arrived back to the house in high spirits for once. They stepped through the hallway into the kitchen to find Dean, Adam, Bobby, Metatron, and Castiel at the dining table in the room next to the kitchen. They had poker chips out on the table and were teaching Castiel how to play poker. So far it seemed as though Adam and Metatron were taking the lot. Gabriel grinned and nudged his shoulder into Sam's arm and took the bags from the man. They put the groceries up for later and headed into the dining room. Metatron kicked out a chair next to her and so Gabriel took the seat. Sam sat at the end of the table next to Gabriel and Bobby. Dean leaned over and looked at Cas' hand and whispered what to do to him making Adam roll his eyes. Metatron gave Adam a sly smile and nodded towards Bobby who was staring at his cards intently. Gabriel smiled at the sight of everyone trying to beat each other and looked at Sam. The hunter had a soft smile on his face and he caught Gabriel's gaze. They stared for a moment before Gabriel felt his cheeks burn hot and he turned back to face the game. Metatron raised an eyebrow at his behavior before Gabriel glared at her to make her simply smile and look away.

He really didn't want to deal with the attraction he already had for the hunter. He had known about it for a while, but it had taken his death for him to really admit that he was attracted to him. He didn't know where that attraction went though. Yet, the longer he stayed around the man. The more chances he got to actually talk to him were something that he was enjoying. He turned back to look at the table and watched as Bobby's eyes widened and everybody sat there shocked as Castiel took the pot. Dean sitting beside him with a broad, proud smile.

"Okay, that's it. No more helping the baby angel," Metatron grumbled.

Sam laughed and smiled brightly as Dean dealt both him and Gabriel in. They then spent the time trying to take all the money from Metatron and Adam now. Which, actually worked out well when they worked together. Gabriel's cheeks had a light pink tone to them whenever he glanced at Sam, but now-a-days he couldn't help it. The way Sam was just smiling and laughing like he had no care in the world was one of the greatest things that he had seen in a long time.

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Sam laughed and tipped his beer back to get the last of it that remained in the glass bottle. At his feet sat Gabriel. Sam quickly gripped the railing that he was perched on and Gabriel quickly grabbed his leg so that way he wouldn't tumble off. Across from them Metatron was laughing openly at Sam's almost fall. Adam was sitting next to her and was only focused on her. Castiel leaned against the pole that Sam's back was against, a small smile gracing his rough features. Sam smiled as he heard Dean yelling at Bobby over barbeque food. This was something he could get used to.

After Azazeal. After Lilith. And after stopping the apocalypse all he wanted was a moment of peace. A moment where he and Dean could kick back with Bobby and pretend that there were no monsters to hunt. It wasn't exactly how Sam imagined everything going, but for once there was nothing that they had to stop. His beer was replaced by another one, condensation already sticking to the glass as Gabriel swapped them. The archangel gave him a flirty wink before dropping the empty bottle into the cooler they had out on the porch. Sam watched as Metatron handed Cas a couple of beers to take to Dean and Bobby. It didn't bother him to see the flourishing relationship between Cas and Dean, even if his brother couldn't see it all. It honestly made him happy to see his brother happy. Both brothers if Adam's smile was any indication. Sam opened his mouth to crack a joke at Adam's expense, but stopped when Gabriel suddenly stood up and got in a defensive posture in front of Metatron. Sam swung his long legs over the edge of the railing to see Crowley standing in their yard.

Crowley brushed a feather off his shoulder and tugged on the bottom of his suit jacket. "You angels are tough to crack, do you know that?" He held up his hand to prevent Castiel from taking a step forward towards him. "Ah, I'm not here to do any harm. I'm actually here to applaud you for preventing the Apocalypse. I now have free reign of everything, being the King of Hell is enjoyable." Crowley gave a sarcastic smirk and his attention diverted to Castiel. "So, this is what you're doing? Shame really. Well, if you need help with the civil war let me know. I could give some help, if only to line my pockets a bit with a reward." His attention was pulled away from Castiel when Metatron stood up from her seat. His eyes widened and his smirk grew into a sadistic smile. "Ah, well that explains things. A falling angel is obviously more important than a civil war in Heaven. Anyways, congratulations on stopping the Apocalypse again boys. Lets hope we don't see each other again."

Crowley vanished after his little speech and everyone stood there stock still for a moment to try and digest what was just said. All hell broke loose among the angels.

"YOU'RE FALLING!?"

"What the hell did he say!?

"Raphael has started a civil war in Heaven."

"Shut up Gabriel! There are more—"

"Don't you dare say important—"

"Enough ya damned idjits!"

All three angels stopped arguing to stare at the older human in shock. Gabriel simply stormed off the porch and out towards the yard. Metatron dashed off the couch and snapped her fingers. Sam watched as Gabriel stopped and thunder cracked in the distance. This was not good. Two archangels having a fight was not going to end well. Dean quickly grabbed the food and handed it off to Bobby to send it inside.

"DID YOU JUST FUCKING GROUND ME!?"

Metatron put her hands on her hips and gave a half smile towards her brother. "Do you really think you're going to get away from me? You either Castiel." She looked over her shoulder to see a visibly frustrated Cas standing next to Sam on the porch.

Sam vaulted over the railing the instant Gabriel lunged at his sister. He heard the others following after him. They really needed to stop the two angels before this got even more out of hand. He stopped a couple feet from them and winced when Metatron cracked Gabriel across the face with a punch. Sam jumped in when Adam and Dean reached down to grab Metatron and pulled her off Gabriel, kicking and screaming the whole way. He knelt down next to a bloody Gabriel, but was shoved away when he tried to get a good look at the damage. He turned to say something to his brother, but his jaw only dropped. His expression probably matched both Dean and Adam's too as the three humans stared at the angels.

Castiel sighed. "This is why you shouldn't have gotten involved in this."

Sam understood now. Humans weren't supposed to see the wings of an angel. Yet, now they could. Gabriel jumped up suddenly and tried to attack Metatron again, but Sam grabbed the angel around the waist and held on tightly, digging his feet into the ground. He may not be able to stop an angel when they used their powers, but he knew he was stronger than their vessels. Gabriel stopped at the sudden tug and Sam held on even tighter. This didn't need to get any worse than it already was. His eyes widened as he saw the golden feathers wrap protectively around him.

"It's because that we are fighting that you can see them," Castiel supplied the answer to the unasked question. "Our grace is reacting violently to the anger and since you are nearby you are absorbing our grace causing you to witness this."

Sam tilted his head back to look up at Gabriel. His cheeks were flushed and he refused to meet Sam's eye, but he nodded in agreement. The grip on Gabriel's waist loosened as Sam turned to his right to see the large appendages. The feathers were fluffed up and they were rigid in their posture, except for the one wrapped around Sam. His head snapped to the left to see Dean standing next to Castiel in awe as he stared at the two black wings while Adam was wrapped in Metatron's wings protectively. This was really unusual. Well more unusual than the normal shit they have to go through. Sam released Gabriel's waist and stood up, the wing unfurled slightly, but slipped back into place around him once he stood up.

Metatron rubbed her jaw, but didn't move towards anyone. "This is stupid Gabriel. The last time we had a fight we sunk Atlantis."

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "That was you being an idiot."

"And now you're being one!" Lightning flashed across the sky.

Gabriel snarled and Sam stared down at the archangel in shock. "You are falling."

"I chose this and now I have to deal with it. I'm more worried about the fact that now apparently Cassie has forgotten to tell us about a civil war."

Two archangels turned to look at Castiel. Dean stepped closer to Cas to give him support while the angel remained standing there unflinching. "I did not deem it an appropriate time to bring it up."

Gabriel groaned and Sam stiffened when the wing was pulled away from him. The wings then pulled themselves back in and tucked themselves against Gabriel's body. "Sam, I need you to take your brothers inside. We will be gone for a bit, but I promise we will be back."

Sam's gaze fell on the soft feathers peeking out from behind Gabriel's shoulder and he reached out and ran a hand along the feathers. The sudden intake of breath made him snap his hand back and take a step away. "Just come back."

0000000000000000000000000000 

Dean leaned back on the couch with his arms behind his head as the TV flickered. He didn't even know what he was watching anymore. Their evening had gone to shit after the angels had disappeared to deal with their Heaven issue. It wasn't like they didn't have things to do. The brothers had made sure the Impala was well stocked because they needed to get back to hunting. The bad guys didn't take care of themselves. It pained him to leave this place, but it wasn't his home. He missed traveling the road with his brother. Hell, he missed Bobby's place. He reached for the remote and pressed the button, the TV shut off without an issue. He really liked using a modern TV and not the crappy ones they always had in motels. He groaned as he pushed himself off the couch, but felt hands grip his shoulders tightly. He grabbed the person, spinning around before jumping on top of them on the couch with a gun to their head.

"Dean."

"Shit, Cas. Stop doing that." Dean pulled the gun away and set it on the coffee table. "What the hell are you doing popping in like that anyways?"

"We dealt with Heaven for the moment, but this is going to cause problems. They wish for Metatron to return and take over our Father's duties. She snorted at them and said 'If Dad really wanted me to run this freak show then he would have told me when I saw him a day ago'."

Dean's eyes widened. "She's seen God?"

Castiel nodded as best he could from his position on the couch. "I assume it was when she was brought up from the Cage. Gabriel tried to inquire about it, but she shut him out."

Dean sighed and shook his head. "Just let them work it out Cas. They're siblings and they're gonna fight especially when they feel like they've fucked up."

Castiel nodded and Dean watched as the blue eyes flickered downwards before back up to his eyes. It took Dean a moment to try and comprehend why and then he realized. He was still on top of the angel. And, he was only inches away from him. Dean watched as Cas followed the movement of his tongue as it swiped across his lip. He was going to go back to Hell for this.

0000000000000000000000000000 00

Adam looked around in confusion. This was not where he had been. He had been out on the back porch on the swing, watching the night sky. Yet, now he stood in Metatron's bedroom. He was shoved backwards and landed on the plush surface. The next instant he had an archangel in his lap and attacking his lips with her hands unbuttoning his shirt. It took him a moment to get with the picture, but once he did he quickly helped her get it off.

0000000000000000000000000000 00

Sam sat up in bed with a start to see Gabriel sitting next to him, back against the headboard and legs crossed at the ankle. Gabriel was sitting there with his eyes closed. A solemn look to replace the normal smirk. Sam ignored the voice in the back of his head telling him that he should probably throw on a shirt and instead turned to face Gabriel. The archangel needed him and even if he understood there was an attraction to him he wasn't going to let that stop him from trying to help the man that helped them stop the apocalypse. It didn't bother the hunter that neither said anything. They simply sat there for a while and Sam didn't bother to check the clock to see how long a while was. It wasn't his place to poke and prod at Gabriel's problems. The angel would speak when he needed to. What did shock him was when Gabriel's hand came out and slipped over his. The skin on his palm soft as the fingers slipped between Sam's to grip the hand tightly. Sam took a deep breath and turned his hand over.

"Angels aren't supposed to fall for humans Sammy."

Sam didn't move a muscle or say anything. He didn't know what to say really.

"Raphael made it a point when the three of us dropped by." Gabriel gave a laugh. "You should have seen his face when the three of us showed up smelling like you guys. All the angels knew we had been around the infamous Winchesters. I swear Raphael's head almost exploded when Castiel spoke of how you guys stopped the apocalypse. It was actually kind of moving. Cassie holds you guys to high regards, especially Dean." Sam snorted at that, but let Gabriel continue. "Needless to say it didn't end very well for us. Heaven is divided. One half wants to follow Raphael and the other half seems to be rallying around Castiel and myself for some odd reason. And I can hear your thoughts; Metatron took herself out of the equation. She released her vessel's soul to her own personal and highly protected heaven, before admitting that she was falling to Cassie and I. We don't know how to stop it or if she'll just continue to fall until she becomes human. It's all on Cassie and I now. How are we supposed to prevent a civil war Sam?" Gabriel finally turned to him to ask.

Sam felt the death grip on his hand. The fear making the hand tremble slightly. For once, the trickster had no tricks up his sleeves. He had no idea where to go from here. Sam tightened his grip around Gabriel's fingers and gave him a soft smile. "You talk. Talk to Raphael to see if there is a way to stop this from becoming a needless war."

Gabriel dropped his head to rest against Sam's and his free hand came up to brush away the unruly brown hair Sam sported. "You're supposed to tell me to run and hide and that you'll protect me from the big bad angels."

Sam smiled at the man. "You have a family to protect."

"Does that include you?"

Eyes widened before the smile turned into a smirk. "Do you want it to?"

A nod. "Yes. I want to work on whatever this is."

Sam ducked down and softly kissed Gabriel. His hand coming up to rest against Gabriel's cheek as he parted a few inches. "Good because you're gonna have to explain this to me."

Gabriel smirked. "Not like I understand it either kiddo."

0000000000000000000000000

Bobby stood in the living room with his arms crossed and a smile gracing his gruff features. On the couch, covered in a blanket, were one hunter and his angel. In the bedroom upstairs were another hunter and his archangel. And in the final bedroom was one soon to be hunter and his archangel. He chuckled and turned on his foot to head into the kitchen. This wasn't exactly how he had expected things to turn out for the group, but it could have been worse. Yea, they now had to deal with a civil war in Heaven, but they just stopped the damned apocalypse. They could deal with some pissed off fluffy birds. He pulled open the refrigerator and reached for the sausage, bacon, and eggs inside. He grinned to himself as he hunted around for the frying pans. He knew his boys were going to harass him about being domestic, but for once they needed to have a morning where they could sleep in. Even if he even knew it was out of character for himself he just couldn't help the good mood.

"That's called the fact that there are three blissed out angels in the house. It's our grace Bobby."

Bobby didn't even jump at the presence of the shortest angel behind him. "Yea, yea, whatever. Grab me those damned eggs and make yerself useful and get the table set up."

Gabriel simply laughed and followed the older man's orders.

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The sound of the front door bursting open woke up everyone in the house. The yells of Dean came next. Within seconds Dean was protected by all three angels and the humans were trying to rush downstairs with what guns were readily available. All that was heard was shouting as Metatron was thrown out the window. Gabriel was sent in the opposite direction and crashed into the china cabinet in the dining room. Dean raised the gun, but dropped it when the metal beneath his hands heated up enough to burn his hands. Castiel took a step back and watched as his attacker came forward.

"Seems we have found where you've been hiding out. I don't expect you to be here for long Castiel. Our truce will be ending. I will claim Heaven and establish order. Neither my brother nor sister can help you in this endeavor. They are far too weak. All of you are. I will succeed."

"Dean! Sam!" Cas heard Adam yell from outside on the porch. Sam whipped his head around to see Bobby helping carry in a bloody Metatron.

Castiel stared at Raphael with as defiant a look as he could muster. He would not back down simply because his brother was going to demand he fight. "You have your war."

Raphael smirked. "This is not a war. This is a slaughter. What do you have brother? A fallen angel, the weakest archangel, three hunters, a former vessel, and you. That's not much."

"It is more than enough."

Raphael 'hmph'd and vanished without a sound. Castiel quickly went into action and checked on Gabriel, who was being helped to his feet before dashing into the kitchen where they had taken Metatron. Adam was holding on to her arms and basically cradling her in his lap as Dean kneeled on the floor next to her with a bottle of vodka beside him. There was a glass shard going through her side. Castiel knelt beside Dean and nodded to the man. He poured the vodka over the wound and continued to slowly as he pulled the glass shard out. Metatron cursing him the whole time. Bobby took the shard and tossed it into the trash as Cas placed his hand over the wound. The skin stitching shut beneath his palm. Metatron's tight grip on Adam's shirt sleeve slowly relaxed as the pain lessened. Cas watched as everyone let out an exhale and it was if the tension suddenly dissipated. That only lasted for a second.

"What the hell is that?!"

Metatron groaned and pulled Adam's button up closed. "You're an idiot, ya know that."

Dean reached over and pulled the shirt open. There on Adam's chest was a handprint, just like the one on his arm. "What the hell is that?" he repeated Gabriel's question.

"It's a mate mark. You can't see it, but beneath that is powerful sigils. My sigils. I pumped a ton of grace into that fucker."

"Seriously, Meta? You mark him with some of the most powerful sigils and then decide to fight against Raphael? You're falling!"

"But I'm not dying ya asshole. I've got you and Cassie to heal me. Alright, can we get off this cold floor now?"


End file.
